


Pit Stop

by Baklavalamp



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Gen, I envision Kid in the school uniform from ATLA s3e2 "The Headband", I'm super nervous but I'm gonna post this before I chicken out, Just adding these as I think of them, Kid and the sisters are still getting to know each other at this point, Kid is the Avatar, Kid's pretty tough on himself, Liz and Patty are Fire Nation street thugs, Liz and Patty's outfits match Katara and Toph's disguises respectively, Reincarnation, Relax dude, Remembering past lives (sort of), Running from Arachnophobia, They're thrown together, This has been rattling around in my head for a while now, This is basically my AU’s version of ATLA s1e4 “The Warriors of Kyoshi”, Very first fic!, just a heads up, vague descriptions of injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:06:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24134050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baklavalamp/pseuds/Baklavalamp
Summary: Early in their adventures, the Avatar and his companions come across a village where past meets present, and a bit of a bit of a reality check is had by all. ATLA AU
Kudos: 13





	Pit Stop

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to my very first fic. As tags should (hopefully) have told you, this is an Avatar: The Last Airbender AU I've been putting together for a little while now. I don't have all the details hammered out yet, but I'm working on it. You'll see a lot of stuff referenced in this fic that I haven't shared any writing on yet, but I hope to post some eventually. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

"I spy with my little eye, something… green."

"Rice paddy."

"Nope!"

"Mountain."

"Uh-uh."

"Grass?"

"Try again!" Patty cackles. Kid shakes his head tiredly, but Liz continues to play along with her sister's antics. It isn't as though they've got anything better to do right now, anyway. But why did she have to pick green? The trio has only been on Earth Kingdom soil for a few days, but Kid's already seen more green than he would've thought possible before. Green clothes, green fields, the sickly green pallor of Liz's face when they'd stepped off the ferry. Not that he has any room to talk, of course; the whole Fire Nation is enamored with red, and has never been afraid to show it. To each their own, he supposes.

"Is it... any of them?" Liz tries, gesturing out at the Earth Kingdom farmers bent double over the rice paddies. Men and women in bunched-up pants wade through shallow water, filling their baskets with bright green stalks. The sight reminds Kid of his hometown, where harvest season drew a number of his classmates out to the fields each year. A pang of homesickness runs through him at this thought, but he tries to banish it. All he can do right now is take things as they come.

Speaking of which…

"I wonder if they live around here?" Kid thinks aloud, pausing his steady plod down the dirt road to better observe the farmers. "If there's a village nearby, they'll probably have an inn."

"Not used to all this walking, huh, schoolboy?" Liz grins at him. Kid hardly notices the jab at his outfit. They have nowhere near enough money to buy a change of clothes, and his school uniform is comfortable enough, so he has resigned himself to wearing it for the foreseeable future.

"No, I'm not," Kid says bluntly. Perhaps a few hours ago, when the trio was fresh off the ferry, he'd have had a better retort, but at the moment he's just fighting to stay awake. His legs feel like they're on fire, heavy as stone and weak as gelatin all at once. According to Liz, she and Patty have been living on the streets for years, and developed stamina to match. Compared to them, Kid is downright sluggish. Patty finds it funny, but Liz just seems to enjoy making fun of him. Although a great deal of her hostility towards him has faded over the past few days (something about escaping life-or-death situations together will do that), she still has no issue reminding him that they aren't quite friends.

Part of Kid doesn't blame her for her antagonism. He'd grown up the only son of a successful merchant, and while they'd never been outlandishly rich, life had been comfortable. For someone like Liz, who'd struggled to survive day-to-day, Kid must seem downright spoiled. But he still doesn't think that gives her the right to pick on him as she's been doing; what did he ever do to them? Before all this Avatar nonsense, at least, he amends quickly. Intentional or not, he can't deny that Liz and Patty wouldn't be trekking across the wide plains of the northern Earth Kingdom right now if they hadn't thrown their hats in with him.

 _Focus on the present_ , Kid reminds himself. What's done is done. He just hopes the time it takes them to reach the Northern Air Temple will be enough for the rest of the tension to ease.

"Look!" Patty exclaims, pointing into the distance. Following her finger, Kid grins. A village!

"I guess we could stand to restock," Liz concedes at the sight of it. Kid tries not to think about how exactly she intends to do that- the bruises from his own mugging are fading, but still there- and eagerly anticipates a night in a real bed.

The village grows steadily larger on the horizon. Encouraged by its closeness, some energy returns to Kid's step, and he pulls up between the sisters. Patty is humming a tune he doesn't recognize. When the shadow of the village gate passes over them, Kid breathes a sigh of relief. Finally, finally they can rest.

At least, resting is the plan; Kid wants to check into an inn as soon as possible, and for all their seemingly inexhaustible energy, the sisters would surely appreciate a few hours off their feet. Unfortunately, a major obstacle presents itself after just a few minutes of walking through the village square.

"Where is everyone?"

Liz's question is on all three of their minds. It's the middle of the day, they're in the center of town, and yet there's no one in sight. They can't all be out in the fields, can they? Kid, Liz, and Patty walk all up and down what should be the busiest paths, but the only signs of life they find are a few elephant rats scavenging for food.

"Helloooo!" Patty calls, cupping her hands around her mouth. Her voice makes the elephant rats scatter, but gets no response. The girl frowns when she sees this, crossing her arms. "These guys take hide-and-explode way too seriously."

"Do you think there's a festival going on or something?" Liz wonders, looking to Kid. Kid shrugs, every bit as confused as her.

"Maybe we should knock on someone's door," he suggests. Glancing around, he approaches a small, closed-up shop. It looks clean enough, which gives Kid hope; surely this place isn't abandoned. His fist is raised, prepared to knock, when a shriek from Liz makes him jump. Whirling around, he has just enough time to see Patty hit the ground beside her sister, both tangled in cords, before he's hit from the side with a weighted rope. The thing wraps around him more quickly than he can follow, and in a flash he's on the ground right beside his companions.

"Who's there?!" Liz demands, a definite note of panic in her voice. Later, it will occur to Kid that the sisters, who have spent so much of their lives preying on hapless townsfolk, are probably not used to being on the receiving end of such business. They are not terrorized, they do the terrorizing! Right now, though, Kid's only thought is a desperate hope that they will all make it out of this in one piece.

The once-deserted village is now crowded with people young and old, all of whom watch the struggling trio with apprehension. A low murmuring runs through them, but only for a moment; an elderly man approaches, and the crowd falls silent. It parts for him.

"Who are you, and what business do you have here?" he demands, voice louder and firmer than what his appearance would suggest. He must be the leader of this village, Kid realizes.

"What are you on about?!" Liz snaps, craning her head back to look the man in the eye. "We don't have any 'business,' we're just passing through!"

"They're Fire Nation, chief!" a young man declares, pointing at the trio's clothes. "They've gotta be with Arachnophobia!"

"Whoa, whoa, hold on!" Kid exclaims. "We're not with them, we're trying to get away from them! They're chasing us. We're on your side!"

"And why would they be chasing you?" the chief asks, raising an eyebrow. The villagers are clearly as skeptical as they are skittish, and Kid doesn't want to know what they'll do if he can't convince them he and the sisters aren't threats. But what can he say? The secret of Kid's identity has only been out for a week, and it's already landed him on a different continent. An organization of ruthless criminals is after him because of who he is. What will happen if these villagers find out?

"Kid, tell them!" Liz seems to pick up on his hesitation, but her tone is unsympathetic. It may be a risk, but it's their only shot. Kid resigns himself to this, and takes a deep breath before continuing to speak.

"Because I'm the Avatar."

The villagers freeze at these words, many eyes going wide. The chief, however, appears unimpressed.

"And why should we believe you?" he asks, still skeptical. Kid is taken aback; over the very brief course of his career thus far, no one has ever doubted that he is who he claims to be. In fact, more often than not it is others who identify him by his title, acting as though it is an unshakeable fact. And while it is (Kid doubts the memory of the Avatar State will leave him any time soon), he is currently unable to prove it. The only element he can bend right now is fire, and he suspects these people will not be impressed by a few simple flames.

"Cuz' it's true!" Patty seems to think a direct method of persuasion is best, and intervenes on his behalf. "His eyes get all glowey and stuff, and he can fly!"

"Sure, and my grandma's a platypus bear!" calls a young woman's voice from somewhere in the crowd. Soon the whole lot of them are clamoring about Arachnophobian spies and bad liars, and Kid trades nervous glances with the sisters. What now?

"Enough," the chief says suddenly, just loudly enough to be heard over the din. The villagers fall silent, all eyes back on their leader. "Fortunately- or perhaps unfortunately- for you, this village happens to be uniquely suited to verifying your claim. Marie, if you would be so kind?"

The crowd parts once more, revealing a short, blonde woman. She approaches, and her face is open even as she studies the trio cautiously.

"Marie, I'm sorry to ask this of you, but you've heard these strangers' claim. Please, would you see if they're telling the truth?" The chief's voice is gentle, and the woman nods.

What? Kid is baffled. Who is this woman? She steps up to him slowly, and kneels beside his head. For the first time, Kid can see her eyes- deep pools of honey, unusual for an Earth Kingdom woman.

_Because she's Fire Nation._

Staring into this woman- Marie's- face, Kid is suddenly overcome by a sense of familiarity. This is Marie, a blacksmith's daughter, the light of his life, the only woman he's ever truly opened up to, his reason for being-

"Joe," Marie (his lovely Marie) gasps, tears pooling in her eyes even as she smiles. She (loves children, hates violence) reaches down and begins to untangle him. The chief is thunderstruck, capable only of staring, wide-eyed, as the woman helps the boy to his feet. "It's so good to see you again."

"I-," (I'm sorry, so sorry for leaving you so soon) Kid stutters, at a loss for words. What is going on?

Marie seems to notice his confusion, and takes pity on him.

"Avatar Joe was my husband," she explains softly. "I loved your previous incarnation very much."

Of course! Avatar Joe, the Earth Kingdom Avatar who preceded him. They say he was a gentle giant, a mountain of a man who wielded the elements with strength and dignity. Kid hadn't known he'd been married, but it wouldn't be surprising even without this aching deja-vu.

"He loved you too," Kid tells her, and it's the truth, spoken from somewhere deep inside him. A lifetime ago, this woman had been everything to him. Marie smiles warmly.

"Hey, this is sweet and all, but if there's not gonna be any trouble, could we get a hand over here?" Liz's irritation is plain in her voice as she makes a show of trying to sit up. Kid hurries over, and in a moment the sisters are free as well.

"Please forgive our rudeness," the chief says, his eyes full of awe. "We didn't realize who you were."

"Oh, but it would've been fine if he was a nobody?" Liz snaps.

"You must understand, we are a small community. Since Avatar Joe's passing, Arachnophobia has gotten bold enough to attack villages like ours outright, claiming them as outposts. We can't afford to take any chances with strangers," the chief winces apologetically.

"Still seems a bit much to me," says Patty, rubbing the shoulder that had hit the ground first. To their credit, the villagers do look apologetic.

"Please, let us make it up to you," says the chief, spreading his arms entreatingly. A clamor rises again from the villagers.

"I can wash your clothes!"

"Let me mend your shoes!"

"Please, spend the night at my inn!"

Taken aback by the peoples' sudden shift in attitude, Kid looks to the sisters. They shrug, just as amazed by the power of his title as he is. Kid turns to Marie, who laughs at his expression.

"It's been a while since we're gotten to host the Avatar," she explains. "You'd be doing us quite an honor by staying here for a bit."

Well, if that's the case…

"We'd be grateful to accept your hospitality," Kid announces, bowing politely to the chief. The man smiles widely and sweeps the boy up in a bone-crushing hug.

"Wonderful!" he says, and the villagers cheer. From the corner of his eye, Kid can see Liz and Patty being greeted excitedly. Liz still appears cautious, but Patty returns the enthusiasm wholeheartedly. From across the crowd, Kid and Liz lock eyes. _We'll give it a shot_.

* * *

"Oh, Agni, I'm stuffed!"

Liz's exclamation is met with groans from her two companions. The trio sits on cushions around a wide, low table piled with empty plates. Not too long ago, each of those plates had boasted a delectable example of rural Earth Kingdom cooking, made fresh by a host of eager housewives. Bean curd puffs, braised turtle-duck, seared elephant koi, deep-fried pickled radishes, pan-fried noodles, and various kinds of wagashi desserts had been laid out like offerings for a spirit. In a way, Kid muses, that's exactly what they were.

"It hurts so good..." says Patty, lying with her back on the floor. She pats her stomach reverently. Kid laughs. The villagers had insisted on holding a banquet, and the trio was only too happy to let them. Kid had been ravenous, but the sisters had practically inhaled their food. _You eat what you can get on the street, and you have as much as possible_ , Liz had explained through a mouthful of poultry. Patty had been beyond words, lost in a haze of seasoning. It was the happiest he'd ever seen the pair, and he is glad to have brought them good fortune for once.

From the moment Marie confirmed his identity as the Avatar, the villagers have been practically kissing the ground he walks on. Tailors, merchants, craftsmen vie for his attention, offering their goods and services for free. People clamor for his advice on everything, from business to love. The children are almost impossible to pull from his side, only away from him now to eat with their own families. There had of course been a push for a communal lunch, but Kid had politely declined, saying he and his companions needed to rest. Marie had come to his rescue, assuring disappointed villagers young and old that their Avatar would be with them again shortly.

The villager's adoration, bordering on worship, shocks Kid. While it's true he hasn't known his identity for very long, his experiences thus far had convinced him that being the Avatar was a punishment from the spirits. In a few short days, he's been threatened, abducted, attacked several times, and kept constantly on the run by the vicious minions of a power-hungry crime lord. For these people to come along and show him that he is, perhaps, not destined for a life of pain and terror is a comfort to say the least.

"I wonder if this is what being the Avatar is supposed to be like," he muses aloud.

"It better be," Liz snorts. "This is the best time we've had since we got you away from Giriko and that big-nosed dude. Hanging with you might be pretty sweet if it means we get pampered like this all the time."

"Like princesses!" Patty exclaims. Then, she pauses. "And a prince," she amends.

"It is nice," Kid admits. "Definitely a new experience."

"I thought your old man has money," Liz raises an eyebrow at him. "Don't you have servants to do this kinda stuff for you?"

"We aren't as rich as you seem to think," Kid tells her. "Father does all the cooking, and I wash the dishes."

"Hmm." Liz closes her eyes, following her sister's lead and lying back. "Whatever."

_Knock knock knock_

"Avatar Kid? May I come in?" The village chief's voice sounds from the other side of the door.

"Yes," Kid calls, sitting up straight. The door opens, and the chief enters, looking pleased.

"I trust your meal was satisfactory?" he asks.

"Everything was delicious," Kid assures him honestly. Really, it's only the fear of getting sick that stops him from wanting more. The chief beams.

"Oh, the women will be so glad to hear that! Those dishes are ones they specialize in, and it shows! If you'd like more of anything, just say the word." Pulled from her stupor by the man's entrance, Patty perks up at this.

"Got any more of those little pink and green things?" she asks. Kid and Liz gawk at her, amazed by her appetite, but the chief just laughs.

"Of course! The wagashi was Mui's contribution. I'll ask her to make some more!"

Suddenly, voices drift in from the open window.

"Is he done? Is he done?" Kid looks down to see a small crowd of girls gathered at the village hall's entrance. One of them looks up, and her eyes go wide.

"There he is!"

And then they're jumping around, shouting for him to come down and join them. Pulling his head back inside, Kid gives the chief a wide-eyed look, his cheeks flushed a deep pink. The man laughs again.

"You're quite the celebrity around here! If you're up for it, I'm sure they'd love to show you around."

Kid looks back down his newfound admirers, amazed once again. All this fuss, for him? After a moment, he stands up, and makes his way for the door.

"Have fun with your little fan club," Liz calls after him teasingly.

He steps outside to the sound of cheering. Before he can even stutter out a 'hello,' the girls have surrounded him in a flurry. From the window, Liz and Patty look on as the hapless boy is dragged away by the giggling young women.

"They're gonna eat him alive," Liz declares, shaking her head. Patty laughs merrily.

* * *

"And this was Avatar Joe's house!"

Kid and his tour guides are assembled outside a modest-looking home on the west side of the village. It is old, but well cared for- the type of dwelling that has seen many families come and go. Kid thinks that even without the strange familiarity he feels at the sight of it, it would seem like a welcoming place.

The girls have shown him all over town by now, whisking him along from house to building to landmark until the sites became a blur of green-painted wood. This place stands out, though; perhaps that's why they've saved it for last.

"Make sure you don't do any firebending around here; the house is right on a natural gas vent," one of the older girls tells him. "My mom says no one knew about it until Joe tried firebending for Marie here- his eyebrows were totally gone for weeks!"

Stories like these, of his predecessor simply living his life, make Kid think about what kind of person he'd been, a lifetime ago. What had growing up in this house been like? How had he fit into the framework of this town? Over the course of his tour, many villagers have pulled him aside, asking if he remembers them, or sharing an interesting story about Joe. It leaves Kid with little doubt that the man had been well-loved. It's a little humbling, really, to stand in the wake of someone who'd clearly touched so many. Kid only hopes he can become a worthy successor.

"There you are!" A woman's voice startles him out of his thoughts. Marie is approaching the group, her light-colored clothes in contrast with the earthen tones that surround her. Kid brightens as she joins them, shaking away his somber thoughts. "I heard you've been getting the grand tour," she smiles.

"We showed him everything!" a little girl, probably around seven, pipes up. "He knows this place real good now."

"Really well," an older girl, in her later teens, corrects her.

"We were just showing him Avatar Joe's old house," a girl around Kid's age informs Marie. The blonde gets a somewhat wistful look on her face when she hears this.

"Joe was born and raised in this village," Marie explains to Kid. "He and I traveled all over the world, but we'd always wind up back here in the end."

"Where did you go?" Kid asks, curious.

"It might be easier to talk about where we didn't go! Just in the Earth Kingdom we visited Omashu, Ba Sing Se, the Si Wong Desert, the western mountains, the southern islands…," Kid's eyes widen as she lists off places. "We probably explored just about anywhere you could think of!" she finishes, a nostalgic smile on her face.

"That's amazing!" Kid says.

"Maybe for me it was, but for him it was just part of being the Avatar. You'll be traveling quite a bit too, you know!"

"I already have," Kid says, his gaze falling. His memories of being dragged from his home are still fresh. Marie winces.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up," she apologizes. Kid instantly regrets his words, and gives her a small smile.

"Don't worry about it. I just hope I get to go back someday."

"I'm sure you will!" Marie tells him confidently. Then, she frowns. "You shouldn't have to worry about that at all, though. I've heard some awful things about Arachnophobia, but to think they'd go after a fourteen-year-old boy…" The look in her eyes is darker than any he's seen from her yet.

"The plan right now is to learn all the elements as quickly as possible. I'm hoping that once I'm not such an easy target, they'll back off," Kid explains.

"That's smart," Marie says, nodding thoughtfully. "In that case, you're probably headed for one of the air temples now, right?"

"Yes."

"The closest one's a few week's north of here. We'll need to stock up well before we leave."

"Yes, that's-," Kid pauses, registering Marie's choice of words. "We?"

"Of course!" she says, as though it is obvious. "What, you didn't think I was going to sit back and wave goodbye as you and your friends set off on your long, dangerous trip, did you?"

"I- well..." Actually, that's exactly what Kid had thought. Since being taken from his hometown, Kid hasn't had anyone but Liz and Patty to rely on, and even that has been tenuous. He's just assumed that being the Avatar means he'll have to do everything himself.

"Of course not! You may be the Avatar, but you're also a child," Marie exclaims, as though his thoughts are written on his face. "Spirits, are you saying you've been away from home for a whole week and not one person has asked why three teenagers are wandering around by themselves?"

"Well, we haven't really run into too many people yet," Kid says sheepishly. People who don't want to drag him to Arachne in chains, at least.

"I don't know if that makes it better or worse," Marie shakes her head, still dumbstruck, then sighs. "I guess it doesn't matter now. I'll be with you from now on." Marie punctuates this statement with a single nod, as though her saying so makes it final. Perhaps it does.

By this point, Kid's entourage has already dispersed, giving him some privacy to speak with Marie. Now that Marie has marched purposefully back towards the village square, Kid is alone with his thoughts. He laughs weakly, relife washing over him. Marie is coming with them! Kid doesn't have to figure this all out by himself anymore! Just like that, a weight he hadn't even noticed before disappears from his shoulders.

_Thank Agni…_

Realistically, Kid knows how crazy it must have looked, three teens wandering the Earth Kingdom alone, criminals dogging their every step. But at the time, Kid hadn't questioned it; he'd been too focused on staying alive and free. With Marie joining them, though, they'll look- and maybe feel- a little more normal.

* * *

"She's gonna _what_?"

When Kid had returned to the quarters he shares with Liz and Patty, he'd relayed Marie's decision to them. Liz's reaction is not what he anticipated, to say the least.

"Great, this is just great," Liz fumes, speaking more to herself than to Kid. "Now we're gonna have to deal with her on top of everything else."

"What's the big deal?" Kid asks, mesmerized by her fury. How could extra help possibly be a bad thing?

"You don't get it, do you? Patty and I are _criminals_. What do you think's gonna happen when that woman finds that out? Cuz she will, we're bound to meet someone who recognizes us between here and the Air Temple. She'll turn us in!"

"You don't know that."

"Oh, and you do? Because you know everything, huh, oh wise-and-mighty Avatar! That's why my little sister and I are running for our lives through the middle of nowhere, because we got stuck with you!" Liz's pitch, which has been steadily rising, reaches a shout with this last statement. The silence that follows hangs heavily in the air between the two teens. Kid bows his head.

"I hate this," he murmurs. Liz raises an eyebrow. "I hate this," he repeats, louder this time. "You think I enjoy what's happening here? You think I like that you and your sister are in danger because of me? You think I wanted to be the Avatar?" Liz opens her mouth, but Kid keeps talking. The floodgates are open now, and everything that's been weighing on him is pouring out. "Well, I didn't, and you know why? Because I knew I'd be terrible at it! I don't know what I'm doing. Every move I make seems to cause trouble for someone, but I can't stay still because the Avatar is supposed to go places, do things, help people! Everyone's going to be looking to me for guidance, but how can I give them that when I can't even guide myself? I'm sorry you're stuck with me, I really am, but there's nothing I can do about it now. I'm a useless Avatar, and that's all there is to it."

"Whoa, hold on," Liz stops him, holding a hand up. "What's all this about?"

"I told you, I don't know what I'm doing. I've only been the Avatar for a week and I've already made so many mistakes."

"What are you talking about?" Liz asks, confusion evident on her face. "All you've done so far is get away from Arachne's right-hand freaks, and that's impressive, if anything. What 'mistakes' are you thinking of?"

"Getting you and Patty dragged into all this, for one thing."

"Hey, going after you was our decision. We do what we want, not what people tell us to," Liz says. Kid looks up at her, his eyes widening a bit.

"But you still wouldn't be here if it weren't for me. And you didn't see what happened at my hometown! Giriko set fire to a whole block, just because he was looking for me."

"We did see that actually," Liz informs him. "Not, like, as it was happening, but we were there afterwards. You think that was your fault, too?"

"If I'd given myself up sooner-,"

"The fact that you gave yourself up at all is amazing," Liz tells him. "Seriously, if your dad hadn't been such a mess when he told us, I wouldn't have believed him. You knew full well what a nutcase Giriko is, but you still put your neck on the line for those people. That's what an Avatar is supposed to do, and when push came to shove, you did it! Agni, have a little confidence. You said yourself, you've only been doing this for a week. I think you've done fine so far."

For a moment, Kid can't speak. He just stands there staring at Liz with eyes that have begun to sting. Does she mean that? Is he really not a screw-up?

"Really?" Kid asks, once he's found his voice.

"I wouldn't have said it otherwise. Spirits, you need to lay off yourself, you know? You're what, fourteen? Chill out."

Kid laughs. It's a stilted, awkward sound, as much of a surprise to him as it is to Liz, but it's there, and Kid's smiling now, feeling something other than overwhelmed or scared for the first time in days.

"Thank you, Liz," he says, wiping his eyes, and the older girl's eyes soften for a moment.

"Don't mention it," she says, turning away. They stay standing like that for a little while.

"Hello!" By the time Patty's bubbly greeting makes Kid and Liz jump, the sun has begun to inch towards the western horizon. They'd been talking for some time, apparently.

"Hello, Patty," Kid greets her. He notices the small sack she carries. "What's that?"

"Candies! Those little pink and green things we had earlier!" she explains cheerfully. "That Mui lady made a whole bunch of them for me! Didn't even have to steal them."

"That's... nice," Kid says, unsure how to respond.

"Heads up, Patty, we're gonna have to cool it on the stealing," Liz says, seemingly back to business as usual. "Marie's coming with us."

"Huh?!" Patty's smile fades, her eyes widening. Clearly, she shares her sister's reservations.

"It's alright, we'll just ease up on the shady stuff while she's around. Besides, she's probably going to be paying for us."

"We've got plenty of supplies now, too, so we won't have to stop anywhere for a while," Kid adds. "We can stay away from anyone who might recognize you, and tell her we're worried about running into Arachnophobia agents if she asks." Technically, it won't be a lie.

"I guess…" Patty muses. Then, she gasps. "Do you think she'll buy us more of this candy stuff if she goes with us?"

"Probably?" Liz ventures. Patty brightens again.

"She can come!" she declares. Kid breathes a sigh of relief.

"Well, I guess we should go check in with her, then," Liz says, sparing a glance out the window. "Looks like it's gonna be dark soon, and we shouldn't stay here too much longer. If she's ready, I say we leave tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Kid nods.

The evening air is warm as the trio steps outside. Marie's house isn't far from the village hall, so their pace is leisurely as they head over. The teens are calm, this reprieve from their troubles having done wonders for each of them. For the first time in what feels like ages, Kid is feeling optimistic about the future.

That is, until he sees the crowd gathered in the village square.

"What's going on over there?" Liz wonders aloud, squinting for a better view. Kid has a bad feeling about this. As they draw closer to the gathering, they hear a voice that makes them freeze up.

"-the Avatar, and your village will be left in peace."

The nasally drone, speaking at a volume that makes it discernible even from a distance, can belong to none other than Mosquito. And, sure enough, there he is- the little man sits on a komodo rhino at the head of the gathered villagers, looking down on them from the bridge of his outrageously long nose. On the ground beside him is, of course, Giriko. The firebender watches the assembled people as though hoping one of them will make a fuss; it's clear he's itching for a fight.

"Shit," Liz swears quietly, and the trio dives for cover behind a nearby building. "We've been here too long, they caught up. Stupid!"

Kid grits his teeth, peering carefully out at their pursuers from behind the wall. This is all his fault.

"What do we do?" whispers Patty, looking to her sister for guidance. Liz bites her lip.

"We've gotta run. They're distracted right now, they won't notice if we slip away."

"We can't abandon these people!" Kid hisses, looking back and forth between his companions and the situation at hand. "We have to do something."

"Like what? Giriko's nuts, but his firebending's no joke; there's no way we can beat him in a fight," Liz retorts. Kid's frown deepens as he struggles to think.

"-out of here!"

The trio's eyes widen- that's Marie's voice! They look, and see the woman has separated herself from the crowd, and is currently pointing angrily at Mosquito. Kid's face goes white.

"It seems as though our presence here is unappreciated," Mosquito sneers, glancing at Giriko. The younger man's grin is positively feral. "Why don't we show this one here what happens when you defy Arachnophobia?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Giriko cocks back a fist, the air around his arm beginning to shimmer with heat.

"No!" Kid screams, dashing out of their hiding spot. All eyes snap to him, and Mosquito's smile widens.

"I thought that would do the trick. Does this mean you're ready to end this foolish chase?" he asks, condescension dripping from every word. Kid glares at him.

"Not quite," Kid tells him. "You'll have to come get me!" With that, he turns and races into the village streets. The sound of boots hitting dirt tells him that Giriko is ignoring his more insightful partner's warning shout and taken up Kid's challenge.

_Now what?!_

He has to think of a plan, and fast- but what can he do? As he carries on his mad dash past houses and down streets, his mind is racing as well. Then, it hits him: Joe's house!

" _Make sure you don't do any firebending around here; the house is right on a natural gas vent."_

The village girl's warning comes rushing back to him, and Kid grins. That just might work! His mind made up, Kid veers right down a side street, making a beeline for the old home. As expected, Giriko is hot on his trail.

Kid screeches to a halt just shy of Joe's house, spinning on his heel to face his pursuer. Giriko stops a few feet away from him, and they both stand around panting for a minute.

"What's the matter, no firebending today?" Kid taunts, once he no longer feels quite so winded. Giriko's face twists into a snarl.

"Y'know, I'm supposed to be bringing you in alive," he says, shifting into a bending stance. "But I'm sure a fried layer of skin or two won't matter in the long run." Then, he strikes, unleashing a jet of flame from his fist. Kid waits until the last possible moment, then dives, letting the shot sail past him and right at the house. _Yes!_

What follows is a deafening explosion that knocks Kid and Giriko off their feet. Chunks of stone and metal fly out in all directions, and Kid thanks whatever spirits may be listening when none of it hits him. He is doubly grateful when Giriko's pained shout tells him the man is not so lucky. As the thick cloud of dust and smoke clears, Kid is able to make out his pursuer's form sprawled on the ground, groaning. A piece of what may have been the door lies beside his head.

"That was so cool!"

Kid jumps and whirls around. The villagers have arrived, and although the lingering stench of burning gas keeps many of them at a distance, Liz, Patty, and Marie rush up to him.

"That was so, unbelievably cool!" Patty repeats herself, looking dazzled. Marie pulls the boy into a tight embrace, laughing with relief, and even Liz looks impressed.

"Not bad," she says, but there is a hint of a smile on her lips. Kid grins at her, adrenaline still coursing through him. He defeated Giriko! Him, all on his own! The boy can hardly believe it, but he rejoices all the same. Suddenly, Marie inhales sharply, her hold on Kid tightening. Before he can react, another explosion splits the air, and a second wave of dust and shrapnel washes over them. It seems as though the gas wasn't finished burning just yet.

The villagers recoil in terror, but at their distance, nothing can reach them. For Kid, Marie, and the sisters, however, it is a different story. In an instant, Liz has thrown herself on top of her younger sister, shielding her from the brunt of the blast. This second explosion is nowhere near as powerful as the first had been, but it still sends bits of hot stone flying everywhere, and Liz is almost certainly going to have some bruises. She is lucky, though.

Marie is not.

The woman shields Kid in much the same way Liz protects Patty, but unlike Liz, Marie is facing the explosion. So, when a hot fragment of house comes zipping towards her, it is not her back that it meets. It is her face.

Marie screams, clutching her left eye. The rest of the village rushes over at the sound, the danger of a third explosion forgotten. Fortunately, there isn't one, and Marie is rushed to the village clinic without interruption.

 _Please be alright_ , Kid begs, and something within him is crying.

* * *

Kid, Liz, Patty, and several villagers have been sitting by Marie's bedside all night when she finally comes to. She groans, her gaze roaming over each of them in turn. Kid is almost beside himself with relief.

"What… why?" the woman moans, raising a hand to her face. She pulls away, surprised by the feeling of bandages.

"You were hit in the eye by some shrapnel," the village doctor, a tall, grey-haired man named Stein, informs her. Marie tries to sit up, but Liz and Patty push her gently back down.

"Take it easy!" Liz tells her, looking concerned. "You got hit pretty bad."

Marie obeys, feeling the left side of her face almost absentmindedly. She looks at the girls, then at Kid, and smiles.

"I'm glad you're alright," she tells them. Kid can't meet her gaze.

"I'm so sorry," he says.

"Don't be," Marie cuts him off seriously, and he looks at her. "Giriko did this, not you. Don't you dare blame yourself." Marie's words, coupled with the meaningful look Liz sends his way, stop Kid from protesting. He still feels guilty, but the feeling has eased somewhat. He'd done what he could. It will have to be enough for now.

"Speaking of Giriko-," Marie continues, looking to the village chief.

"Some of our earthbenders are taking him to the nearest army outpost as we speak," the man explains, anticipating her question. "He won't be bothering anyone again. That big-nosed fellow ran off in the confusion, but I doubt he'll be back anytime soon, either."

"Good," Marie breathes. Kid can see the tension fading from her face. "And, my eye?" Everyone looks uncomfortable.

"I'm afraid I couldn't save it," says Stein, looking down. Marie nods, surprisingly matter-of-fact.

"That's alright. You did your best." The tension in the room lessens somewhat at this, but a momentary silence still settles on them all. Then, Marie turns back to Kid. "It looks like I won't be coming with you after all."

Kid nods. He'd kind of figured. Marie smiles ruefully.

"It isn't right. You three shouldn't have to be out there all by yourselves. But I see now that you aren't as helpless as I thought. You're clever, and you're brave. I think that if you stick together, you'll be okay."

Kid's first instinct is to protest, to say that he'll never survive on his own. But yesterday's events have left him with something relatively new: confidence. He'd taken on Giriko and won. He'd protected a whole village from thugs. It hadn't been easy, or clean, as Marie could attest, but everyone was still on their feet afterwards. Something tells him Marie will take this in stride, and that this village will be okay. And besides, he won't be entirely on his own, will he? No; he's got Liz and Patty, and together they'll make it somehow.

"Thank you all for everything," Kid says. The villagers smile.

"Thank you for protecting our home, Avatar Kid," the chief says, and bows respectfully. The other villagers, even Marie, follow suit.

"Are you leaving already?" Stein asks, raising an eyebrow. Kid nods.

"Even if Giriko's out of the picture, I can't see Mosquito giving up," he explains. "We'll just have to be careful not to stay in the same place for so long again."

"Patty and I are ready to go when you are," says Liz.

"Take care of yourselves," Marie tells them, taking Liz's hand. "Those supplies should last you a while, but it's okay if you have to… restock now and then. Just be safe." The trio's eyes widen at what the woman is insinuating. Does she know who the sisters are? Marie smiles knowingly, and Kid is sure of it.

"We will," Kid says, since Liz is speechless. The older girl is quick to recover herself, though.

"I wish you could come with us," she says, and she seems to mean it. Marie's smile turns sad, and she lets Liz go.

"Me too," says Marie. Patty bends down and gives the woman a hug, much to her sister's shock.

"Make sure you get something real cool for your face," Patty says. "Like an eye patch!"

"An eye patch?" Marie laughs. Patty nods, pulling away.

"You'd look just like a pirate, and no one would ever bother you," she explains seriously. Marie laughs harder, her shoulders shaking. Soon, everyone in the room is laughing, discussing the details of Pirate Marie. Everyone, Kid notices, except Patty, who just smiles. Watching her, Kid gains a deeper appreciation for his bubbly friend.

Maybe, just maybe, everything will be alright.

* * *

Later, as Kid, Liz, and Patty hit the road once again, waving goodbye to the assembled villagers, Liz startles Kid by giving him a pat on the back.

"I was wrong about you," she says. "You're not so bad after all. For a stuffy little rich boy, that is."

Kid smiles, not rising to the good-natured bait. "Same to you," he replies. Marching ahead of them, Patty laughs, and the future seems just a little bit brighter.


End file.
